He is also upset that a student in Jyoti Niketan College, who he says is a topper, is allegedly wanted by the police in connection with a terror case. “The principal there is my friend. He told me that the cops were looking for the boy. It is so sad because the boy is brilliant in academics. Do you understand when I tell you how they are targeting educated youth and spoiling their future?” asks Parvez

Mohd Noor-ul-Huda (20)

‘25 students are missing, media doesn’t care’

• Mohammed Noor-ul-Huda is a second-year LLB student in Shibli College.

He says that the youth in Azamgarh are confronted with two problems: the first that they are Muslims, the second that they happen to come from Azamgarh. “Is it justified? In the past two months, over 25 students have gone missing.

We do not know if they have been killed in police encounters somewhere or if they cooling their heels in jail. It is futile to file missing complaints because the media does not care to report such stories. Is it not sad?” asks Huda.

He adds that going to Delhi to pursue further studies is slowly becoming difficult for Muslim youth. “Students who study in Jamia University and stay in Batla House are being targeted,” says Huda, adding that he feels the government resents Muslims getting ahead in education. “Earlier, they used to say that we (Muslims) are an uneducated lot. Now they are targeting us when we opt to pursue higher degrees. Who will come ahead to study in such a situation?” says Huda.

... contd.